| Here's a link for an FCC filing to transfer control of WCPT and WSBC from WYPA LLC and WSBC LLC respectively, to Heartland Signal LLC for $1.00. I'm not familiar with all the principals here, so is this truly a sale...or are these related folks and companies and it's just a reshuffling of deck chairs so to speak? Also, WNDZ and WCPY are specifically excluded from this current agreement. |
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WCPT/WSBC Transfer
- Thread starter JJSPC
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Here's a story on Heartland from a couple of years ago: Left-wing Midwest media outlet launching with backing from Dem donor
The WCPT 820 AM website changed to Heartland Signal sometime about 1 1/2 years ago. The change appears to align WCPT 820 & WSBC directly under Heartland Signal instead of News Web Radio LLC. I assume Fred Eychaner is the owner of both entities.
From the Heartland Signal Web Site:
Heartland Signal is a regional digital newsroom anchored to the progressive radio station WCPT 820AM in Chicago. Through a progressive lens, our reporters and hosts shine a light on the issues most important to those who make up the diverse communities across the Midwest. While our perspective is transparent, our coverage relies solely on the facts, and we aim to help bolster the local reporting throughout the Midwest region.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal
Heartland Signal is owned by Newsweb Radio LLC, an affiliate of Newsweb LLC, a print and broadcast media company located in Chicago.
heartlandsignal.com
From the Heartland Signal Web Site:
Heartland Signal is a regional digital newsroom anchored to the progressive radio station WCPT 820AM in Chicago. Through a progressive lens, our reporters and hosts shine a light on the issues most important to those who make up the diverse communities across the Midwest. While our perspective is transparent, our coverage relies solely on the facts, and we aim to help bolster the local reporting throughout the Midwest region.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal
Heartland Signal is owned by Newsweb Radio LLC, an affiliate of Newsweb LLC, a print and broadcast media company located in Chicago.
About Us
The decisions that shape your healthcare, your kids’ schools, your voting rights — most of them aren’t made in Washington. They’re made in statehouses and in local elections, by governors […]
heartlandsignal.com
I wish they'd expand into Cleveland - buy something like Salem's AM 1220 and take it out of its current misery.The WCPT 820 AM website changed to Heartland Signal sometime about 1 1/2 years ago. The change appears to align WCPT 820 & WSBC directly under Heartland Signal instead of News Web Radio LLC. I assume Fred Eychaner is the owner of both entities.
From the Heartland Signal Web Site:
Heartland Signal is a regional digital newsroom anchored to the progressive radio station WCPT 820AM in Chicago. Through a progressive lens, our reporters and hosts shine a light on the issues most important to those who make up the diverse communities across the Midwest. While our perspective is transparent, our coverage relies solely on the facts, and we aim to help bolster the local reporting throughout the Midwest region.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal
Heartland Signal is owned by Newsweb Radio LLC, an affiliate of Newsweb LLC, a print and broadcast media company located in Chicago.
About Us
The decisions that shape your healthcare, your kids’ schools, your voting rights — most of them aren’t made in Washington. They’re made in statehouses and in local elections, by governors […]
Does Heartland Signal also own AM 950 out of Minneapolis? Some of same programs (not counting the national shows like Stephanie Miller and Thom Hartmann) air on both stations, like Matt McNeil, Patty Vasquez and Native Roots Radio.
No - AM 950 KTNF is locally owned and operated. It's actually owned by a long time employe of the former liberal talk operation on this frequency. While they are commercial, they also run off listener donations donations. No big backing that I'm aware of (although it's certainly possibly they have undisclosed large donors - who knows). They are exceptionally grass roots - you see them at local festivals all over the place. Matt McNeil and Native Roots Radio are anchored in Minneapolis. Many of their programs are locally recorded in their studios in Eden Prairie, MN (Minneapolis suburbs).
Heartland Signal is headquartered in Illinois. WCPT is the origin of that operation, and Timothy Burke is the owner (as linked above).
Similarly, Civic Media is the Wisconsin equivalent to Heartland Signal. Civic Media originates from Michael Crute when he purchased (now silent) WRRD 1510 AM in Waukesha. They tried to get an FM translator in Milwaukee, but nothing ever came to fruition. So they packed up and moved to Columbus/Madison 1580 AM and 92.7 FM translator in Sun Prairie/Madison. Last year, Mike partnered with Sage Weil (another dem donor) to launch Civic Media, which now covers most of the state through various AM Stations with FM translators. The Cap Times in Madison has some good articles on their development.
WRRD actually did have a translator. 101.7. They had trouble making money with the station, they were hoping with the DNC being in Milwaukee in 2020 things would turn up well for them, but it didn't work out because of the coronavirus. He sold the station back to Good Karma Broadcasting. He was LMAing 1580 from Good Karma. Civic Media eventually bought it
In turn, Good Karma sold Mike 540 WAUK, which already had a translator and a much better AM signal. It was basically sold to Civic Media once it became a thing. Sage Weil I believe owns 99% of Civic Media now based on one of their last FCC filings when they bought a cluster.
Kathryn Lake (WGN) is the Program Director for their network. Some of the shows originated on WRRD, however they have several originals, a few unrelated to politics.
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Oh interesting I didn’t realize they ended up getting a translator at 101.7.
540AM is a great signal.
What is 1510 broadcasting?
540AM is a great signal.
What is 1510 broadcasting?
The translator WTMJ has was originally for 1510 WRRD. They had a disagreement with it's owner, so they built the 101.7 signal. Good Karma runs an Urban Talk format on it called 101.7 The Truth.
It's been running 250 watts for a couple years now.
Their transmitter has been malfunctioning a lot.
It's definitely not running 250. A year ago they had an STA to broadcast at 10 watts just to keep the translator legal and that's probably what's going on again even though they apparently haven't notified the commission.
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